The United Census Bureau has released a new report on the demographic profile of households and living arrangements in the United States over the past 50 years.
The report found that the share of households made up of married-couple families has significantly dropped since the 1970s, particularly for non-White households. In 2022, only 27 percent of Black households were married-couple families compared to roughly 50 percent of White households.
Black households were the most likely group to be a family household maintained by a women without a spouse, with about 25 percent of all Black households falling into this category. Black women were also found to be more likely than Black men to be part of a non-family household. This is notable as the report found unmarried families are significantly economically disadvantaged compared to married couples, who experience higher levels of household income, home ownership, and health insurance coverage.
Furthermore, the study found Black children were the most likely group to live in a household experiencing economic hardships. Black children were the most likely group to live in a household that received food stamps and/or cash public assistance.
The report consists of data from the American Community Survey and the Current Population Survey’s Annual Social and Economic Supplement.
